The 8 passenger L'Art de Vivre started life as a Scottish munitions carrier and survived long enough to be transformed by a team of skilled crafts-men into a floating celebration of the Burgundian "good life". Your crew of four comprises Captain, Tour guide, Master Chef and Hostess, all with a love for the Nivernais canal, and all secure in the knowledge that their vessel represents L'Art de Vivre itself.
The region simply oozes charm and the cruise is a journey back in time along a magical waterway. The Upper Nivernais remains an undiscovered region, well off the beaten track on the edge of the Morvan hills. The sleepy hamlets, white grazing Charolais cattle, woods and forests are typical of the scenery we cruise through.
During the summer months we visit the Valley of Sardy, a canal section with smaller locks, where time seems to have stood still for over two hundred years. The hand-swung bridges are a delight and we pass old logging sites which are now almost forgotten memory for the local people. This is the original home of luxury hotel barging and yet today, a barge is a rarity, welcomed by all, and every journey is a great event.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1, Sunday: Guests are met at the pick up hotel at 1.30 pm and transferred to L'Art de Vivre. After a Champagne Welcome, wander the logging capital and raison d'être of the Nivernais canal. Dinner aboard.
Day 2, Monday: There is time this morning before the barge departs to stroll around the narrow streets of Clamecy and maybe visit the Logging & Barging Museum or climb the hill to view the 13th century Collegiale de St. Martin. Cruise from Clamecy in the late morning, passing the quaint village of Chevroches perched on the hillside. During lunch we moor at Villiers-sur-Yonne in its picturesque setting under willow trees. Our excursion this afternoon is to the impressive half built fortification at Guedelon. This is a 25 year project, set up to demonstrate the traditional building methods from the 12th to 14th centuries. Meet the stone masons, blacksmiths and other craftsmen. Enjoy a game of boules before dinner aboard.
Day 3, Tuesday: Morning cruise, passing beneath the first of many Van Gogh style hand operated lifting bridges. A short bike ride is recommended into the village of Anois to visit "Le Bouc qui Fume" (the smoking billy goat), an antique/curiosity shop in an old chapel. Before stopping at Tannay for lunch we pass through an impressive double chambered lock. After lunch a brief drive to visit the local wineries of Tannay, famous for its rather special Melon grape variety. We then continue our cruise and moor in the old logging port of Monceaux le Comte. Dinner ashore at the Auberge du Centre serving traditional local cuisine.
Day 4, Wednesday: This morning we visit one of Burgundy's most picturesque hill-top settings, Vezelay. Discover the treasured Romanesque Basilica of St Mary Magdalene, lace and craft shops and superb views over the surrounding countryside. Return to the barge for lunch and cruise to La Granges. On the way, we have an opportunity to stroll around Chitry-les-Mines with it’s 16th century Château, used during world war two as an H.Q. by the local Resistance Group "Les Loups" (The Wolves). Dinner aboard.
Day 5, Thursday: As we cruise through the remote countryside and meadows of "France Profonde" on our way to Sardy, you will notice that the locks are lot older with their huge beam-levered lock gates and ivy covered lock houses. After lunch we visit the Château of Bazoches, whose illustrious visitors included Richard the Lionheart. It later became the home of Marechal Vauban, the famous defense engineer, in whose family it has remained until this day. Dinner aboard.
Day 6, Friday: Today we begin with a passage through the 16-lock flight leading to the summit of the Nivernais canal. The locks are sometimes less than 200 yards apart! Alongside each lock is a pretty waterfall-weir and some of the lock houses are now craft shops, which can be visited whilst you stroll alongside the barge. Many consider this canal reach to be one of the most beautiful in France. We moor for lunch at the last lock before our final cruise through the three tunnels of La Collancelle set in the deep cut to Baye lake, which marks the summit. Captain's Farewell Dinner aboard.
Day 7, Saturday: After breakfast return to the Paris meeting point hotel for approximately 1 pm.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices:
- Stateroom per person $3,990
- Single supplement $1,500
- Charter 6 passengers whole boat $27,100
- Charter 7 passengers whole boat $28,300
- Charter 8 passengers whole boat $29,500.
Price Includes:
- Open bar
- Free wines
- Gourmet cuisine
- Entry fees to excursions.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Outdoor: Water Drifter
Boating and Sailing
Cultural Journey
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